In the collective imagination, young people represent the hope for a more sustainable future. A generation naturally inclined to take care of the planet. The reality, however, is much more complex: while it is true that major youth mobilisations for the climate have sprung up in recent years, it is equally true that this is often not enough to tackle a crisis as structural and urgent as climate change.
To transform sensitivity into concrete commitment we need tools, knowledge and skills. And to spread all this, we need targeted education, capable of involving the new generations not only as aware consumers, but as informed and active players in the process of sustainable transformation. In this context, digital technologies can represent a strategic ally, if used with intelligence and a critical spirit: in other words, it is not just a matter of making people understand what is happening to the planet, but of making them understand how they can act – also and above all thanks to digital transformation – to counter the effects of climate change and build a more sustainable future.
‘Young’ is not always synonymous with ‘sustainable’
Although it may be considered common opinion, belonging to a younger generation does not always automatically imply a greater awareness or attitude to sustainability. A clear picture of this is provided by the new research of the Foundation for Digital Sustainability which, through its Observatory, has observed this year precisely the generational differences on Digital Sustainability issues: the data show how, overall, one Italian in four (27%) continues to think that climate change – however serious – does not require urgent and immediate action. Leading this ‘wait-and-see’ view are the Millennials, but even among the very young Generation Z (18-28 years old) the situation is no better: 27% – thus in line with the general figure – maintain that there is still time to act.
The research, however, also shows how the perception of those who are more environmentally aware of technology changes according to the generation they belong to. In particular, while in the more mature generations environmentalism is often accompanied by a strong distrust of the digital, in Generation Z and the Millennials those who express the greatest concern for the environment also tend to be more digitised.
A result, the latter, that for the future may represent a good basis from which to start, but with continued work and investment in training and skills: a necessary path to follow, especially considering that – research data in hand – in practice, the main digital solutions capable of giving concrete expression to one’s attention to environmental issues are still not very widespread in the daily use of citizens, even among the youngest.
Train to act
Really involving the younger generation in the fight against climate change is certainly not an easy challenge. To do so, however, action must be taken on several levels. Firstly, everything should start at school: this is where education on sustainability issues should become structural and multidisciplinary, with a special focus on the role of digital solutions in enabling more sustainable development models. This means, for example, teaching students how to read climate data, how environmental monitoring technologies work, and the usefulness and importance of digital solutions and tools in managing resources or optimising energy consumption. But it also means helping to develop an aware digital citizenship, capable of distinguishing between information and environmental disinformation, between digitalwashing and real sustainable innovation.
School alone, however, is not enough. We also need inclusive and accessible platforms that enable young people to become part of communities of practice, of participatory projects, that allow them to really get their hands on sustainability. Initiatives such as, for example, sustainability hackathons, or co-creation paths with companies engaged in this field can make the difference in achieving a crucial goal: that of transforming young people from users to real agents of change.
To support and nurture this journey, a systemic investment in training in digital skills for sustainability, from STEM to soft skills, will be crucial. Because action, on important issues such as climate change, comes from awareness and skills, and learning how to use the digital tools available to us today is the basis from which to undertake a transformation that leaves no one behind.
A collective responsibility
In short, if it is true that young people represent the hope for a more sustainable future, it is wrong to expect them to save the world on their own: they need to be put in the best position to make a difference. Education both on sustainability and on the tools that can enable it today is the key to tackling challenges such as climate change from a new perspective, with appropriate tools and language, and with concrete prospects.
Digital sustainability is not a distant horizon. It is a collective responsibility to be built today, investing in the citizens, professionals and decision-makers of tomorrow. Only in this way will it be possible to look forward to solving problems that, like climate change, seem much bigger than us today.